This invention relates to a wafer feeding apparatus used in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus for such as an LSI (large scale integrated circuit).
In a conventional CVD apparatus, sputtering apparatus, etc., a wafer is fed from a preparatory chamber to a processing chamber through a belt conveying mechanism, a vacuum suction mechanism, etc. These apparatuses include many movable components.
Such a wafer feeding mechanism includes a greater number of mechanical movable component parts. In the vacuum suction apparatus in particular, an air stream influences the generation of particles in view of the negative pressure of a suction mechanism. An increasing amount of particles is unavoidably generated, thus presenting the difficulty of restricting this amount to below a predetermined level.
In an evaporation, CVD, plasma etching, reactive ion etching apparatus for instance, a vacuum chuck cannot be employed for processing under low pressure. As a wafer holding mechanism attached to the wafer feeding mechanism, use is often made of a mechanical means, such as a wafer holder and holding arm, thus involving a greater number of movable component parts.
It is therefore difficult to implement a low-temperature process as well as a high selective process.